Showing posts tagged craft
A meeting with the Indian Institute of Craft & Design
What: Indian Institute of Craft and Design
IICD was initiated by the Rajasthani government with the mission to “evolve a sustained program of growth and development of both crafts sector and craftsmen in an integrated manner. They focus on generating requisite knowledge, upgrading relevant skills and to fostering right attitudes in order to develop high quality, motivated human resource and change agents, in a vibrant climate of experimentation and innovation.”
Where: Jaipur, Rajasthan
Who: Dr. Bhardwaj (director) and Swarup Dutta (dean of UG programs)
Left to right: me, Swarup, 2 embroidery artisan teachers, embroidery class teacher
IICD students
Each student graduates when completing their Diploma Project, for which they produce a product that blends design principles and traditional craft. Some of the work I viewed was really interesting; particularly traditional Dhokra work formed into modern cutlery.
An overview of student work, experimental and finished.
Student design work, working with an artisan in woodwork and traditional weaving.
Embroidery Class
Two artisans who specialize in embroidery gave me a quick demo and put together a palette of several different types of embroidery to show the class.
From what I’ve gathered here so far, most of the issues for rural craftspeople are due to disconnection and lack of access: Artisans don’t have direct access to the market. Potential markets don’t know where to find out about traditional craft and artisans. Designers and artisans come from urban and rural perspectives, which makes working together in a creatively equal way difficult. Etc etc…
It’s encouraging to see IICD attempting to bridge some of those gaps. (And it’s not easy as these issues are all gray.) A couple of interesting things they’re doing are bringing artisans to teach their craft to students and creating a space for them to be experts and teachers, which creates respect and understanding on both sides. And in general, their programs explore the industry as a whole and all stakeholders in the value chain, and are trying to find ways all parties can add value and get value.
I was quite inspired by my visit and the people that are designing and graduating from the programs there, and am excited to see where they go with it all.
IICD needs
They are looking for international partnerships in case anyone is looking for exchange opportunities! Email me, if so.
Judy Frater, artisan advocate and rockstar
Last February, I had the great privilege of spending a couple weeks with the pioneering craft advocate and co-founder of Kala Raksha, Judy Frater. Judy is a rare find of a person in the world. She not only thinks with her brilliant mind, but her huge heart, and is more open about those things she thinks about than anyone I know. She’s lived in Kutch for more than 20 years working with traditional embroiderists and other artisans in the area. And I’d even argue that she’s been a huge force behind establishing the region as a destination for textile enthusiasts from around the world, all of whom want to schedule some time to meet with the famous Judy Frater. Between helping artisans fill out complicated visa applications to make it to Santa Fe’s International Folk Art Market in the summer, she also made time to meet Australian scholars working on books, volunteers, craft tour groups, and then of course me, who was looking to be mentored and observe different models of working with craftspeople. Judy’s a rockstar. And she deserves a big statue or plaque or benefit or something monumental and long-lasting to honor not only her work in Kutch, but her character.
This article briefly touches on her impact among artisans in India.
(via Ishan Khosla)
Such a fun day yesterday running around beautiful Jaipur with the lovely Namrata Milak, best city and craft tour guide EVER.
Tilonia! Rajasthan!
I just reached the Barefoot College in the village of Tilonia and I am so freakin’ excited! This is my first official visit to Rajasthan, the capital of Indian craft. Sadly, I arrived at night and can barely see the nose in front of me, so I’m headed to sleep so I can wake up ASAP and discover the awesomeness that awaits me.
Barefoot College has their hands (or “feet,” I should say) in a number of social enterprise and innovative development initiatives. I’m here spending most of my time with their craft sector (Tilonia.com), and specifically to document the production of a new line of home goods designed by the ladies of Designing Hope in Brooklyn.
Tomorrow is India Republic Day, so we’ll celebrate by dancing and being festive with the women and kidos. Then it’s back to work for the next couple of days.
Pics and video snippets to follow soon!
Sweet dreams from India.
~Kari
Gandhi’s weapon was a spinning wheel
Gandhi’s revolution was about establishing self-sufficiency, peace, and dignity as a means to ending oppression against and creating opportunity for the poor, women, and the most vulnerable of India. And oddly enough, the spinning wheel (or charkha) was the symbol of that socio-economic freedom.
The majority of the country lived (and still lives) in rural areas (72%, according to the 2001 Census) where their main activity and source of income relied on agriculture and handicrafts. Sadly, the creation and salability of Indian-produced textiles were largely crushed by foreign imports during British rule. Gandhi believed that before people could insist on self-rule and independence from the British, they must revive the handicraft sector and reinstate a source for economic independence for the rural people.
Present day, I’m happy to see Gandhi’s spirit and principles are still being carried out through social innovators around the world. Whether it’s through those designing energy-efficient and affordable energy, creating low-cost healthcare products and services, marketing products created by the poor, or building infrastructure and distribution models, we are finding innovative ways of merging business and doing good that is promoting self-sufficiency, peace, and dignity among the oppressed.
We still have a long way to go, but I am inspired to be conducting the Rubina Pilot Project in the same place and among descendants of the same people where Gandhi once held his revolution not so long ago.
